What Balakrishna Did at the Gaddar Awards 2025 Last Night
The inaugural Gaddar Telangana Film Awards, held on June 14, 2025, at HITEX Hyderabad, turned out to be a historic celebration of a decade of Telugu cinema (2014–2024). Hosted by the Telangana Government, the event brought together Tollywood’s biggest stars for a grand night filled with honors, tributes, and emotional moments.
Balakrishna Steals the Spotlight
Veteran actor Nandamuri Balakrishna was awarded the NTR National Film Award for his lifetime contribution to Telugu cinema. It was an emotional and proud moment as Balayya received the award in front of a packed house of industry peers and fans.
In his heartfelt acceptance speech, Balakrishna expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the award jury, and the Telangana government. He also paid tribute to his legendary father, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR), acknowledging the values and legacy that continue to guide his journey in cinema.
Star-Studded Night of Honors
Alongside Balayya, several key figures from Indian cinema were recognized:
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Mani Ratnam received the Paidi Jairaj Award for his excellence in direction.
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Sukumar was honored with the B.N. Reddy Award for his visionary storytelling.
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Atluri Purnachandra Rao won the Nagireddy–Chakrapani Award for his production excellence.
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Yandamuri Veerendranath, the iconic writer, received the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award for his literary and cinematic contributions.
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Vijay Deverakonda was presented with the Kantha Rao Award, cementing his status as a youth icon.
Other celebrities spotted at the event included Allu Arjun, Vijay Deverakonda, and key talents from across generations.
A Milestone for Telugu Cinema
The event was not just a night of glitz but also a symbolic restart for state-level film awards in Telangana. For the first time, the Gaddar Awards honored excellence from the past 10 years, recognizing those who shaped and elevated Telugu cinema since 2014.
From powerful performances to behind-the-scenes brilliance, the awards highlighted the full spectrum of the industry’s talent.
